


Welcome Home

by Wadamwoltron



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Domestic, M/M, Moving In Together, Pre Kerberos, Shadam, adashi, bathtime but its sfw, but its fine, fluff with a side order of angst, they do be nakie tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22091212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wadamwoltron/pseuds/Wadamwoltron
Summary: A request from Tumblr! Adam and Shiro's first day moving in together. Shiro has been a pilot for roughly 8 months now, Adam has just graduated despite being a little older. Now that they're both adults, they decide to get a place of their own to start their new lives together.
Relationships: Adam/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Welcome Home

“Watch the step, Takashi,” Adam grunted, shuffling his hands along the bottom of the box in a futile attempt to grip it tighter. Shiro flicked his head backwards, as much as one could while co-carrying a box backwards up patio steps. 

“I got it, you got that side?” he asked. Without awaiting a reply, he hoisted with all his force to keep Adam from bearing the weight. Adam giggled beneath him at the sudden shift, muttering something about keeping it level. Shiro, however, found himself distracted in trying to keep the edge of the box from crashing against the doorway. 

“Jeez, what did we even put in here?” Shiro huffed.

“The label says “lamps, books, and dresser drawers,” Adam replied, peeking over the edge of the box to read the hot pink sticky note adhered to the cardboard. 

“And why on Earth did we put the heaviest things all in one box?” 

“You packed this box, Takashi,” Adam jeered, using his torso to shove it a little forward to bump into Shiro. The latter laughed a little, then let his face fall flat, placing his side of the box down gently to stand with a sigh. 

“I guess you’re right. Sorry, I’ve been a little scatterbrained recently.” He instinctively touched the metal bracelet on his right wrist, which was due to give another electromagnetic pulse in a number of minutes. “I’ve had a lot on my mind.” Adam set his side of the box down, and strode around it instantaneously with dedication in his eyes. 

“Takashi Shirogane,” He replied harshly. “Do not apologize for anything.” Before Shiro could even get a word out, Adam’s arms were around his shoulders, their chests pressed tightly together as he held Shiro in a firm hug. Though it felt very raw still, it had been months since Shiro’s diagnosis, and he was still trying hard to implement the skills his therapist taught him to avoid self-deprecation. It was all Adam could do to pull him from the dark places his mind went in times like this, to remind him that they were a team, and they’d get through. Adam pulled out of the hug to rest his hand on Shiro’s face, and smile at him with all the encouragement he could muster. 

“Hey, today is a good day. You’re doing good,” He paused to place a slow tender kiss into Shiro’s lips. “Isn’t it exciting? To live together?” Shiro smiled back, that true smile of his that felt like the sun returning from behind a cloud, and he leaned his head into Adam’s palm.

“It is. And this time Iverson can’t assign us different roommates.” He laughed, recalling how embarrassing and disappointing it was for administration to find out two flight partners and roommates had started dating, and forcibly move them to separate rooms with strangers immediately. “In retrospect it was incredibly silly to assume we could pull off dating in secret for all that time without getting caught.” 

“Well we could have!” Adam chuckled. “If you hadn’t convinced me to skip class that one day.” He began making his way outside to retrieve more boxes from their minivan. Shiro followed close behind, nudging Adam’s side as they walked together into the sunlight.

“Well wasn’t it worth it? We had a whole empty gym to make out in!” Shiro guffawed at his previous self’s stupidity, reaching the van to scoop a box of desk knick knacks up in his arms. 

“We were such dumb kids,” Adam shook his head. He couldn’t help but picture Shiro’s horrified face years ago when their teacher had caught them, their faces dangerously close, Adam’s glasses in Shiro’s hand, his back up against the gym wall. 

But now they were adults, or at the very least, some approximation of adults. After having his own room as a pilot for around 8 months, Shiro awaited Adam’s graduation before they left their dorms at the Garrison to live together in an apartment, only a few miles away from the campus. Though they had to pay more than the Garrison dorms cost, it was a worthy price for the two to settle into adult life together. 

“At least we can finally sleep in a bed together without worrying about a surprise drill or an administrator knocking on the door,” Adam smiled. He had made a habit in the past 8 months of sneaking into Shiro’s quarters in the wee hours of the morning, if only to fall asleep to the sound of his boyfriend’s heartbeat. Shiro presently hoisted the knick knacks through the front door to set them beside the previous box in the foyer, while Adam followed in suit with several bags of non-perishable groceries, mostly Top Ramen. 

“Hmmmm, not exactly a bed just yet. We’ll have to use the futon until the delivery truck from Bed Bath and Infinity can get here on Thursday,” Shiro replied. He had no qualms with sleeping on the floor, his former roommate often said he’d come home to find Shiro face down on the hardwood after studying for hours. Additionally, Shiro grew up sleeping on tatami mats in his parents’ home. His only reservation, however, is that Adam would absolutely steal the small futon quilt in his sleep. He was one to get cold easily. Shiro placed a reminder in the back of his mind to equip himself with spare blankets for the next few nights. 

The two continued to drag items in from the van. It was packed as much as it could be, although moving two people’s items from the place they had stayed since they were 14 inherently implied multiple trips. They had sorted through their items before packing them up to reduce the amount, either tossing or donating anything they hadn’t been using, and yet the load seemed just as large. Shiro in particular did not have much to sort through, however, as his transition from student dorms to pilot dorms went hand in hand with a deep cleaning of his inventory. The two poured over Adam’s dorm for some time, though. Propped up against the bookshelf, Shiro held up each novel and asked if it was a keep or a donate, and divided them into piles. As expected, one was far larger than the other. Adam insisted, however, that he needed to hold on to their old chemistry and biology textbooks from their first year, if not for studying, then for some light reading. That of course explained the absurd weight of the next box Shiro brought in, which he tossed onto the kitchen counter with a gasp. It was the last of the vanload, so the two resigned themselves to breaking out Shiro’s beat up microwave to enjoy some Top Ramen for lunch.

“There’ll be no more of this now that we have a full kitchen,” Adam insisted, slapping Shiro’s shoulder with a seasoning packet. “We’re making fresh, healthy food every day.” Shiro smiled through his mouthful of processed noodles, not opposed to either option, but certainly preferring Adam’s. 

“Yessir,” replied Shiro. They leaned against the kitchen counter, marveling at the empty space they now got to call their own. It was small, but humble and much more suitable for a young couple starting their lives together. The kitchen felt cramped and tucked into the back wall of the downstairs, but the living room and dining room combined more than made up for it. Adam was grateful he had thought to claim the location when he did without getting a hold of Shiro first, as his boyfriend was more than thrilled to return from his mission to find a place of their own waiting for him. 

There was little furniture they could populate the area with, as much of their upholstery in the dorms was provided by the Garrison. Each had a desk of their own, some computer chairs, a bedside table. Adam managed to keep his mini fridge intact for the journey, which would have to do for now until their next paychecks arrived and they could acquire a real full-sized one. Other than Adam’s variety of coffee appliances and a few other kitchen amenities, the two really didn’t have much to their names in terms of making the house a home. However, as Adam reached over to wipe the broth that splashed against Shiro’s cheek during a particularly powerful slurp, he reckoned it already felt like home anyway. 

After lunch the two hopped back into the minivan to traverse back to campus, the mid-afternoon sun casting beams of warmth into the car. It was destined to be a quick trip, as their goal was to acquire the bulkiest appliances; fewer objects, more weight. Shiro released an exhale of gratitude that his muscles hadn’t been spasming today as he caught his fingertips beneath one of the bedside tables. He had a good week, but the imminent threat of the pain and weakness that was sure to return at any moment constantly latched its claws in the back of his mind. Adam had promised an extra long massage that night, but then again, he delivered upon that promise every night since the diagnosis. Gratitude swelled in Shiro’s chest upon thinking of all that Adam had done for him recently, and he made a point to express it as he set down the table to stride over to his boyfriend. 

The kiss startled Adam, who had been fidgeting to discover the best way of hoisting the mini fridge, but he quickly dissolved into the touch as Shiro’s hand rose to caress his cheek, and they held still like that for several moments, their bodies slowly pulling closer together. Shiro didn’t open his eyes as he pulled his mouth slowly away from Adam’s to rest their foreheads together. He instead reveled in the moment of feeling his love so close to himself, a grin tugging at his lips as he drank in the smell of Adam’s sweet shampoo and the warmth that seemed to radiate from him, hotter than the sun itself. 

“What’s this about?” Adam’s breath bore the remnants of ramen seasoning, which Shiro found a little funny as he reckoned his was the same.

“Nothing, I just love you is all,” he grinned, blinking his eyes open to focus on the amber that peered from behind square lenses. “Thank you for staying by my side.” Adam appeared caught off guard for a moment, as though the thought he would ever leave never even crossed his mind. And it hadn’t.

“There’s no place I’d rather be, Takashi.” He snuck one more peck onto the tip of Shiro’s nose. “Except maybe in our house, we have a lot more to pack up before we can relax,” he giggled. His boyfriend returned the laugh and proceeded over to the table once more, following Adam down the hallway and back out to their car.

It was nearly dusk by the time they began their final trip home. Shiro had insisted they take pictures around the cleaned out dorms to remember the occasion, going so far as to convince Adam to pose with memories as though he were presenting them at an auction. In their group chat with their good friend Matt, Shiro sent an image of Adam proudly displaying a dark stain on the bathroom floor, with the caption “In loving memory of the time we tried to temporarily dye Adam’s hair black for a Halloween costume, only to find after spilling it on the floor that it was, in fact, permanent (don’t tell administration I don’t want to lose my deposit)”. Shiro giggled at his text while writing it out in the passenger seat, Adam at the wheel. The phone illuminated his love’s face against the twilight, the hazy remnants of the day filling the car with a beautiful blue glow. Adam couldn’t help but steal a glance every now and then at Shiro’s face, the way his eyes twinkled when they passed under a streetlight, how his skin seemed to glow with his radiance. Time was not one to change him. He was still the dorky, kind, pretty-boy who had set foot into their dorm 6 years ago and introduced himself as “Takashi, but my friends call me Shiro.” Adam elected not to be reminded of the only real difference since then. 

Both had exhausted their patience to lug in the remainder of their haul, and Adam took a moment to praise himself for remembering to bring the necessities in the first load, placing them in the kitchen to be easily found later. The rest could remain in the car for the time being. He stepped out of the van doorframe to inhale the evening, beautiful and fresh and still wonderfully warm, the sun having retired after heating the air to be around 65 degrees, a crisp breeze reigniting his vigor. 

“You wanna eat dinner on the patio?” He asked. “We have….microwaveable popcorn, and, uh, a few apples. And ramen. But it would feel fancier to eat on a patio right?” he snickered. Adam came to realize they should’ve run to the store on the way home, and cursed himself out in his head for being so foolish. Though they could have gone right back out, the store was only a few blocks away, but Adam reckoned they’d have one more night of living like broke college students before settling into adult habits. He recalled a block of cheese and a half-carton of eggs he had stored in the mini fridge as well, which should do enough for protein for the time being. “Actually, let’s make omelettes, Takashi, we have eggs.” Shiro smiled and nodded in response as he gently pushed the door to their house open, the smell of wood floors greeting them, along with the warmth of new beginnings.

“Welcome home, love,” Shiro turned back to his boyfriend, a gentle blush coating his cheeks. Adam returned the favor and leapt forward a little to press a quick and ill-coordinated kiss onto Shiro’s jaw. 

“I’ll get the ingredients out if you can find where we put the pans,” Adam proposed, gliding towards the kitchen where they had already plugged in the fridge. Shiro nodded in response, setting his satchel down to begin hopping around the boxes, hunting for whichever one bore the chicken scratch that probably meant “pans”. He found them at the bottom of a box filled with other kitchen appliances, sifting through Adam’s coffee and many spices. Eventually he resigned himself to bring the entire box over, and began lining up the spices on the counter for Adam to toss into the bowl which now held a few raw scrambled eggs. Like clockwork, Shiro passed Adam the pepper, the salt, the garlic and onion powder, the paprika, and the tiny bottle of sriracha, and left him to his devices. He turned his attention to unpacking the other appliances and setting them up along the counter, assigning a little corner by the stove for Adam’s coffee. 

While his love continued to cook, Shiro moved the necessities box from on top the stove, and traveled upstairs to unpack it. He loaded the rim of the tub with their shampoo bottles, shaving cream, and razors, lining the edge of the sink with Adam’s floral foaming hand soaps that he loved. Turning back, Shiro experienced a revelation upon placing the small bag of bath bombs he had gotten for Christmas on the back basin of the toilet. He nearly trotted out of their new bedroom to call to Adam over the railing. 

“Ads, what do you think about taking a bath together after dinner?” The excitement in his voice was useless to subdue. Shiro had loved baths since he was a kid, but none of the Garrison dorms had actual bathtubs. For 6 years the only occasion in which he was able to bathe was when he visited his parents’ house, where his mother had always had a warm bath drawn for him after an evening meal. He and Adam had snuck in a number of showers together over their time together at the Garrison, but the experience of being entirely submerged in hot steamy water, especially with the love of his life, was far more enticing. 

“That sounds like a lovely idea, Taka.” Shiro could hear the smile in his boyfriend’s tone. “Come down and get your omelette, love.” Shiro bounded down the small staircase and met Adam halfway out of the kitchen to accept his plate. The eggs were beautifully blended with a speckling of spices swirled throughout, and a healthy dose of melted cheese dripping from the opening of the fold like the world’s most delicious volcano. Together they strode over to the patio, a rather pathetic slab of gravel concrete with a single porch light. Adam made up his mind to move his plethora of plants here, where they could drink in the sun in the mornings and rest in the shade of the afternoon. They sat leaning against the window frame, too weary to bother lugging their computer chairs outside for such a short duration. However, the evening was beautiful.

Their back door was one of many that lined the edge of the suburb. Theirs was one of several subdivisions of townhomes, small houses connected together with tiny yards and little space between. Adam enjoyed the quaintness, however; the sense of closeness and community reminded him of his father’s home outside of Ahmedabad. The backyards were limited, only a small plot of land where residents were welcome to populate with whatever plants they desired. Adam had chosen this house specifically opposed to others, as the previous owner had taken the time to form a path through the grass, lining the edges of the plot with a variety of beautiful succulents and cacti. The fences were short and rather easy to see over from the vantage point of the raised patio, where the young couple could gaze out into the cool desert night expanding behind their little home. 

Adam ceased his gazing briefly however to run inside for a glass of water as Shiro began fanning his tongue with his hands at a particularly concentrated bite of sriracha. He returned laughing at his boyfriend, and their conversation picked up once more after Shiro finished rubbing the mist from his eyes. Adam teased him for his inability to handle even a little spice, but made a mental note to go a little less heavy on the heat in the future. 

Eventually as the temperature chilled a little too much for comfort, they meandered inside. Adam made his way upstairs to rinse out the tub and get the water running, while Shiro took to washing the plates and forks and pan, ensuring the water he used was as chilled as possible so that not an ounce of heat would be wasted on anything other than the tub. He took one last glance around downstairs for any nighttime necessities he may have missed so that he wouldn’t have to return after their bath. Halfway up with a bag of toiletries in his hands, Shiro recalled perhaps the most important item they’d need for the night, and ran back downstairs for the futon. 

Their bedroom was perhaps the most grandeur room in the townhouse, absorbing much of the square footage of the upstairs. Despite that, it was still roughly the size of a standard bedroom, capable of holding a king-size, some nightstands, and a dresser. Shiro could hear the water running from the master bathroom beside it, the crack of light from the door shining like a beacon. He hastily laid out the futon, lazily tossing the quilt over top and resting two pillows side by side. Recalling his previous note, Shiro bounded to what they were currently using as a dresser, a box filled with some of their clothes, pajamas, and blankets. He loaded the quilt up with 3 more layers, intent on keeping both himself and Adam cozy through the night. It was remarkably easy to ignore the rest of the process when the sound of running water from the bathroom had ceased. 

Shiro gently pushed open the door to find that Adam had already undressed, his firm back muscles beautifully illuminated by the caustics dancing around the tub. Adam almost looked abashed upon seeing his boyfriend come in, but made no attempt to conceal himself as Shiro peppered his shoulder which a few quick kisses before unbuttoning his own shirt. Adam assisted him in unlocking the electromagnetic braces, which were remarkably difficult to click on or off without another person. 

“How are you feeling?” Adam looked up into his love’s face with concern, one hand setting the braces down, the other hovering over Shiro’s forearm as though touching it would ignite the pain once more. 

“I’ve felt good today,” Shiro smiled gently. “A little weak after hauling all those boxes, but no pain or numbness. You still owe me a massage, of course.” His grin turned sheepish and devious for a moment before he broke into an earnest snicker. 

“Of course. I promised, didn’t I?” And with that Adam rested himself in the warmth of the water, already glittering with the dissolved bath bomb he had snuck in from Shiro’s stash. He cast his arms wide out, inviting Shiro to join him. The latter peeled the last of his clothes off with ease, and nearly slipped against the bottom of the tub in his urgency. Easing himself down with more care, Shiro rested his eyes upon his boyfriend, and it wasn’t long before their faces were close and their eyes were closed, and the night was silent. 

While still pressed into the kiss, Adam meandered his fingers around to find Shiro’s arm, and began with the massaging pattern the occupational therapist had guided him through to alleviate the tenseness in his love’s muscles. He began at the crux of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, and worked his thumbs into the subtle valleys between the anatomy. He pulled from the kiss and opened his eyes to track Shiro’s facial expressions, studying closely for even the slightest hint of a wince. But he found that his boyfriend seemed tranquil, his face relaxed, his breaths long sighs, his eyelids still shut. 

“How you doing?” Adam broke the silence with as soft a hammer he could. Shiro looked up at him with a light smile.

“It feels nice today. The hot water helps, I think.” 

“Perhaps we ought to make this a regular part of our routine, then,” Adam teased. Shiro grinned wider as he marveled at his love, the glistening skin of his torso disappearing beneath the cloud of steam and sweet-smelling water. 

“Perhaps we ought.” 

After Adam had finished the massage and ran Shiro through the hand positions to stretch the tightness, they rested in the bath together for some time more, Shiro’s back leaning against Adam’s chest. Laying down, it was a rather cramped tub for two full grown men to occupy, however, Shiro appreciated the closeness despite the tight space. He nearly fell asleep as Adam nonchalantly ran his fingers through Shiro’s hair, and only returned to reality when his legs began to slip out from beneath him and he rapidly sank a few inches. Adam laughed so hard he snorted, which in turn caused Shiro to burst out, and soon they were playfully shoving each other around and splashing, not caring about the water they’d have to mop up off the floor later. 

And Shiro did with a certain amount of regret, as his only towel he had brought upstairs became dangerously waterlogged. After the water had drained he draped it over the side of the tub to air out, and stood in a sort of T-Pose to air-dry himself as he attempted to shake the water from him like a dog. Adam slapped him jokingly with his own towel, and once he was sufficiently dry, passed it to Shiro to pat down whatever shaking couldn’t dry. The two stepped into their new bedroom to grab some pajamas from their dresser box, Adam donning a loose T-Shirt and a fresh pair of boxers, Shiro a white tanktop and long pajama pants. 

Returning to the bathroom, Adam washed his face while Shiro dug for their toothbrushes and toothpaste among the toiletries. They finished preparing for bed in relative silence, not needing to utter a word as they enjoyed the peace and serenity of their first night truly alone together. But as they snuggled into the futon and clicked off the lights, they found a conversation hidden in the sheets. Adam began excitedly discussing all the things they should get at the store after their next paycheck came in, and how thrilled he was to have a full kitchen once more to cook whatever he desired. Shiro returned with daydreaming of the small commute each morning, how wonderful it would be to wake up and get ready together rather than not seeing each other until a chance encounter in the hallways of the Garrison afternoon. 

“Everything is going to be wonderful,” Adam pressed the words into Shiro’s lips. The latter nodded, and returned the affection, drawing Adam in with a hand on the hip. Their legs tangled together, their pelvises met, and that was it. 

Shiro drifted off nearly instantly, his exhaustion from the day finally taking hold. Adam smiled and drew a single finger up to caress his sweetheart’s face, feeling his own arm become weak and heavy with slumber. He was grateful the following day was a Sunday so that they had the opportunity to sleep in. Despite it only being around midnight by now, a time that seemed early to Adam after he had spent many all-nighters in the past few months, it was a relief to know no morning announcements or classes could pull him away from this. And as his eyelids began to flutter the only thought that lingered was those three words, spoken in the color of Shiro’s voice: “Welcome home, love”.


End file.
